Canada Removes of 105,000 Smart Meters Because Fire

http://cjme.com/story/two-more-smart-meters-start-fire-saskatchewan/396968

Two more smart meters start on fire in Saskatchewan

                                                                                           

SaskPower continues to investigate cause of failures

 

An eighth smart meter has caught fire in Saskatchewan since SaskPower started installing thousands across the province.

http://news.ca.msn.com/canada/saskpower-to-remove-105000-smart-meters-following-fires-2


The Saskatchewan government has ordered its power utility SaskPower to remove 105,000 so-called smart meters installed at homes and businesses across the province, following concerns about eight unexplained fires associated with the units.
The minister responsible for the provincial Crown corporation, Bill Boyd, announced the move Wednesday.
..."The concerns are significant enough that we believe that any time that families are at risk here in Saskatchewan, actions have to be taken. That's why we've directed SaskPower accordingly."
Questions about the meters surfaced in July when SaskPower announced it was investigating a handful of cases where newly installed meters malfunctioned. In all cases, the failures only affected the outside of a home and no one was hurt.
SaskPower had put its meter replacement program on hold while it investigated the fires. As of Monday, eight had been reported.

Sensus Corporation, the company that supplied the meters, said in a statement to CBC News Wednesday that it has millions of meters operating safely across North America.
"We have no confirmation that the meter is the source [of the fire problems]," the statement said. "We are working with SaskPower to understand what specific events led to those issues and to determine the best course of action. The investigation is still underway."
Sensus is a multinational company servicing the utility industry with headquarters in the U.S. and operations around the world.


Cost of swap could reach $14M
According to officials, it will take about six to nine months to swap out the meters already installed. That is expected to cost about $90 per customer — $45 for a different meter and $45 for the work. That works out to around $9.5 million for the entire province. SaskPower also has a cache of more than 100,000 new devices in storage that will not be used.
Later on Wednesday, SaskPower indicated it expected the total cost could reach $14 million.
It was not immediately clear who would cover the costs associated with the swap. Boyd said he hoped to recoup the money from the company that supplied the meters.


The smart meters, which are manufactured by Sensus Corporation, allow SaskPower to bill customers for the power they use each month rather than relying on estimates between meter readings. The utility introduced the replacement program in October 2013.
No changes for some Saskatoon residents
The government's move applies to customers of SaskPower throughout the province, but does not apply to parts of Saskatoon that receive service from that city's power and light utility. According to Saskatoon officials, their meter replacement program, which uses a different supplier, has not had any problems.
"We have not heard any reports of problems with the Elster brand meters," Kevin Hudson, a Saskatoon city official, said in a statement Wednesday.

How to remove Smart Meter from your property

I am NOT a lawyer, so all the information provided here is for general guidance only. I may be inaccurate in some details.
If you have Smart-meter related health issues, you can use the instructions below
Step by step:
1. Contact your electricity distributor and ask to remove Smart meter according to Equal Opportunity Act 2010.
For more information please refer to:
http://nosmartmeter.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/ehs-electromagnetic-hypersensitivity.html
and
http://nosmartmeter.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/your-right-to-choose-kind-of-meter-and.html
Demand WRITTEN ANSWERS ONLY!
KEEP ALL RECORDS!
Get digital sound recorder and record all relevant phone conversations! The cost of the digital recorder starts from $10, not a big deal.
2. If unsuccessful, go one level higher:
Try to contact the following organisations:
https://www.ewov.com.au/contact-us/complaint_form
http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/index.php/about-us/contact-us
Use the links ( from the first step) to ensure that they (EWOV and Human Rights Commission) will get some knowledge about Equal Opportunity Act 2010, because from my experience of dealing with them, they have none (or pretend to do so).
Again, keep all records and demand only written answers. Not to be shy - they have to help you, it is their job.
3. If unsuccessful again, use this option - the only one that currently works http://www.vcat.vic.gov.au/disputes/equal-opportunity
You should fill some forms, Please find attached the instruction where and how to find the forms.
And believe me, very soon your distributor will contact you and will try to negotiate removal of the Smart meter.
4. And there is a trick: if you sign a Non Disclosure agreement with the distributor during mediation you will get "gag" order and you won’t be allowed to provide full assistance to other people who also suffer from radiation.
Also, in the future your own prospect of getting compensation, publish your story or just share it with fiends will be jeopardised.

On mediation professional lawyers can trick you, lie to you, bluff. It does not matter if you find out later – they already got your signature on the deal and they «gagged» you, so they do not care.

5. So if you want to be a free man and do not want to have any obligations to corporations, who care only about profits and who look at people only as a source of dividends for shareholders - better request VCAT to make orders on your case.

Court ruling is open to public and can be used for any purpose you might seek in the future, including compensation related to damages for health, forceful relocation (becoming refugee), etc.

Lawyers cannot lie in court because everything will be on the record. And judge would not allow them to trick you, even if you come without lawyer.

If I were you, I would refuse mediation at all, or from the start agree only to "no gag order" conditions. And demand 3 business days for cooling-off period. During this time you will be able to get independent advise from lawyer («gag order» allows you to use one).

6. If you need assistance - please register in blogger.com and contact me.

Smart meter and Asbestos - letter to CEOs, members of board, shareholders of distributors

I like to pay attention to similarities between current situation with UHF radiation and asbestos.

Asbestos:

1. There was a lot of published evidence that asbestos is dangerous.

2. Industry denied or pretended not to know about this information.

3. Governments around the world did not see anything wrong with asbestos, it usage/processing was not really limited by safety standards.

4. Only since 1978 asbestos became «officially dangerous» in Australia, exact date depends on state.

5. American Conference of Government Industrial Higyenists (ACGIH) recommended that amount of asbestos dust in air should be under 5 mppcf (5 million particles per cubic foot), this recommendation was in force in 1946-1970 years.

6. Industry did the best to fight off any allegations using as argument «asbestos is allowed for usage, it is not banned».

UHF radiation:

1. There is an evidence it is dangerous even at low levels.

2. Industry denies this evidence for many years using several excuses.

3. In many countries UHF devices are introduced by government (Smart meters is an example).

4. In some countries limits for UHF already became very strict, but not in Australia (yet?).

5. ARPANSA setup a limit for UHF radiation which is convinient for industry and easy to «obey».

6. Industry fight off any alligation just claiming «our debices emit under ARPANSA limit».

And now I like to ask CEOs, members of board, shareholders of distributors some questions. I do not need answers, YOU do:

1. Then James Hardie used «asbestos was not banned before 1978» argument in court hearings about amount of compensation for people who worked with asbestos in 1950s-1960s did it gave him any good? As far as I know not.

2. Do you want in future to see your company having problems which James Hardie got?

3. Will you consider changing your attitude from «we obey ARPANSA standards» to something more cautious?

4. Distributors, not Government choose wireless technology instead of "broadband by power cable" for remotery read electrical meters.

5. Distributors, not Government, have orders from S314 Order in Council: «A distributor must have and must keep up to date to the End Date a risk management strategy (‘risk management strategy’) to:

(a) identify, address and mitigate technological or other risks of and in connection with the provision, installation, maintenance and operation of advanced metering infrastructure and associated services and systems; and»

6. And if Distributor will run out of cash because too many huge claims from victims of UHF radiation Government will say «I told you so!»:

(b) manage expenditure increases arising from those risks.

7. Distributors breached «best endeavours» clause in Order in Council S439 and installed Smart meters against customers will.

8. And now I like to ask you to do some guessing: in case if something will go wrong in future who will be blamed – your company or government?

 

9. And then shareholders will look for someone to blame for this blog will be mentioned, believe me. And YOU will be asked question:

- Were you aware of it?

Smart meter become optional in Ulster

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-news/20131217/ulster-county-lawmakers-back-opt-out-proposal-for-electronic-utility-meters

KINGSTON>> Ulster County lawmakers have thrown their support behind state legislation that would allow residents to opt out of having electronic utility meters installed on their homes.

Legislators voted 12-0 Tuesday, with 11 members absent, during a meeting of the Ulster County Legislature in favor of the resolution, which urges the state Legislature prohibit electric utilities from forcing consumers to use so-called smart meters or transmitting utility meters on their homes.


My comment: Victorian "democracy" is very different, parliament and Energy and Water Ombudsman pretend to have no knowledge about any Smart-meter related issues.

Canada Removes of 105,000 Smart Meters Because Fire

http://cjme.com/story/two-more-smart-meters-start-fire-saskatchewan/396968

Two more smart meters start on fire in Saskatchewan

SaskPower continues to investigate cause of failures

An eighth smart meter has caught fire in Saskatchewan since SaskPower started installing thousands across the province.

http://news.ca.msn.com/canada/saskpower-to-remove-105000-smart-meters-following-fires-2

The Saskatchewan government has ordered its power utility SaskPower to remove 105,000 so-called smart meters installed at homes and businesses across the province, following concerns about eight unexplained fires associated with the units.
The minister responsible for the provincial Crown corporation, Bill Boyd, announced the move Wednesday.
..."The concerns are significant enough that we believe that any time that families are at risk here in Saskatchewan, actions have to be taken. That's why we've directed SaskPower accordingly."
Questions about the meters surfaced in July when SaskPower announced it was investigating a handful of cases where newly installed meters malfunctioned. In all cases, the failures only affected the outside of a home and no one was hurt.
SaskPower had put its meter replacement program on hold while it investigated the fires. As of Monday, eight had been reported.

Sensus Corporation, the company that supplied the meters, said in a statement to CBC News Wednesday that it has millions of meters operating safely across North America.
"We have no confirmation that the meter is the source [of the fire problems]," the statement said. "We are working with SaskPower to understand what specific events led to those issues and to determine the best course of action. The investigation is still underway."
Sensus is a multinational company servicing the utility industry with headquarters in the U.S. and operations around the world.


Cost of swap could reach $14M
According to officials, it will take about six to nine months to swap out the meters already installed. That is expected to cost about $90 per customer — $45 for a different meter and $45 for the work. That works out to around $9.5 million for the entire province. SaskPower also has a cache of more than 100,000 new devices in storage that will not be used.
Later on Wednesday, SaskPower indicated it expected the total cost could reach $14 million.
It was not immediately clear who would cover the costs associated with the swap. Boyd said he hoped to recoup the money from the company that supplied the meters.


The smart meters, which are manufactured by Sensus Corporation, allow SaskPower to bill customers for the power they use each month rather than relying on estimates between meter readings. The utility introduced the replacement program in October 2013.
No changes for some Saskatoon residents
The government's move applies to customers of SaskPower throughout the province, but does not apply to parts of Saskatoon that receive service from that city's power and light utility. According to Saskatoon officials, their meter replacement program, which uses a different supplier, has not had any problems.
"We have not heard any reports of problems with the Elster brand meters," Kevin Hudson, a Saskatoon city official, said in a statement Wednesday.

Smart meter, Refugees and Human Rights Activists

Avoiding Smart Meter’s in Victoria

(A Manual of facts to help you)

The aim of this web page is to provide you with some little known facts to assist you in your fight to protect your health, privacy and democratic right to say ‘NO’. It has been compiled from personal experience and many hours of research.

 

If you have a smart meter that is making you, unwell and/or have other symptoms related to EHS and you complain to your distributor, they will simply reply: “Smart meters are mandated/standard".

You can then complain to the Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria) (EWOV), they will send a request to your distributor, who will send the usual answer, which will be passed on to you that: " Smart meters are mandated/standard".

As far as the distributors are concerned, it is your problem and nobody else’s. I know the names of refugees who have left their jobs, friends, who have sold their property in VIC and moved interstate because they could no longer take the pain from smart meters.

Do you think Human Rights activists, mass-media or any Ombudsman paid any attention to their stories? Nope. The only "refugees" which they care about are illegals, those who coming from overseas direct to our Centrelink offices by boats.

Not one Human Right activist, mass-media editor or Green Party official is foolish enough to risk interfering with billions of dollars "donations" into pockets of corporations under the pretext of "Advanced Metering Infrastructure". So you can be sure the smart meter issue will not get into the front pages of any major media outlet until YOU make it happen.

Currently Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria is answering to all complains in same way:

"Smart meters are mandated/standard/compulsory".

So if Smart meter is killing you, that’s fine by everyone who is supposed to protect you, as long as it done legally. Nazi murdered millions of people because laws of Raich allowed it.

 

I wonder that kind of answer we would hear from Ombudsmen if distributors got permit to shoot their customer on spot? Probably something like this: "Killing unhappy clients is allowed by Order in Council and section 6A Electricity Industry Act"?

 

Only one way to force Ombudsman to do his job, to protect you - complain. And not just complain - use law. There is Equal Opportunity Act, force Ombudsman to read it! Look at my post under heading "Equal Opportunity Act and Human Rights."

Legal Aid can waste a lot of money to help child molesters or rapists, but if an honest citizen has a problem with a big corporation, ‘sorry mate, it is your problem and no one else’s’.

And only you and no one else can force them to protect rights and liberties of honest citizens!

 

Not be shy. Write to local and main mass-media. Lodge complains. Demand answers and actions. Bring distributor to Human Rights  division of VCAT (it is free).

 

Since forcing Aboriginals from their lands it is first ever time in Australian history then people are forced from their homes. 

Not because they are criminals, enemies or anything like this. People who suffer from EHS cannot live in Victoria and they are forced to move away.

 

Power industry needs profits and politicians cover-up them. It is against all our Human rights, against Constitution, against all democratic liberties.

But it is happening JUST NOW. Because our politicians put profits of foreign corporations before humans.

 

Do NOT vote for Labors who started Advanced Metering Infrastructure rollout.

Do NOT vote for Liberals who did not lift a finger to take into account rights of citizens of Victoria.

Do NOT vote for Greens who supported desal plant, who against cheap clean water from Mitchell river, who did not say a single word to protect rights of Smart Meter' refugees!
Do NOT vote for National (current energy minister National one) who have same policies as Liberals!

Equal Opportunity Act and Human Rights.

Avoiding Smart Meter’s in Victoria

(A Manual of facts to help you)

The aim of this web page is to provide you with some little known facts to assist you in your fight to protect your health, privacy and democratic right to say ‘NO’. It has been compiled from personal experience and many hours of research.

If you complain that your smart meter radiation is making you sick and you get the answer that “everything is within ASPANSA limits". Technically, this answer is correct. It is not the job of distributors to check out faults in standards. ARPANSA RPS3 (the standards) have some issues, I spoke about it in another post.

But the distributors do have other obligations. For example they have to obey Equal Opportunity Act.

Sections 44 and 45:

«Discrimination in the provision of goods and services», 
(b) in the terms on which goods or services are provided to the other person

It sounds as though distributor must supply you with electricity regardless of what kind of electrical meter you have.

 Section 15: Duty to eliminate discrimination...
(1) This section applies to a person who has a duty under Part 4, 6 or 7 not to engage in discrimination...
(2) A person must take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate that discrimination... as far as possible.

So if you have medical condition (EHS) your distributor must make some adjustments. For example remove Smart meter from your house.

And also distributors in Victoria should have policies and procedures how to deal with people who suffer from EHS. But I never heard about miracle like this.

As far as I concern mostly they just bully people into moving interstate.

 

 

And there is section 45: Service provider must make reasonable adjustments for person with a disability

 

According to this, a Distributor should use another meter, which does not emit radiation. It is NOT your problem which meter they will use and what written about it in THEIR rules. You have rights! If they do not want to know about your rights because they too much concern about their profits - bring them to court!

Human rights division of VCAT is FREE for Applicant. How much money will be spent by distributor - it is THEIR problem. Applicant is not responsible for expenses of Defendant.

You just want to keep your Manually Read Meter, which was used (and still is) around the world for a century. No way it can be treated as "un-reasonable" adjustment.

 

The distributors try to cover-up their bulling tactics by this:

PART 5—GENERAL EXCEPTIONS TO AND EXEMPTIONS FROM THE PROHIBITION OF DISCRIMINATION
Section 75 Things done with statutory authority

(1) A person may discriminate if the discrimination is necessary to comply with, or is authorised by, a provision of—
(a) an Act, other than this Act; or
(b) an enactment, other than an enactment under this Act.

Yes, they have orders to install Smart meters. But "the best endeavours" never made them compulsory. And "the best endeavours" do not allow them to make people suffer from EHS.

 

So usage section 75 as a defence is very questionable in this case.

More, there was "Waters v Public Transport Corporation" case which may be a good precedent in case of class action.

http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/cth/HCA/1991/49.html?stem=0&synonyms=0&query=WATERS%20v.%20PUBLIC%20TRANSPORT%20CORPORATION

And there is a Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006

1 Purpose and citation

(c) imposing an obligation on all public authorities to act in a way that is compatible with human rights;

So there is a fare chance VCAT will interpret section 75 in your favour.

(d) requiring statements of compatibility with human rights to be prepared in respect of all Bills introduced into Parliament and enabling the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee to report on such compatibility

And it NEVER happened with any document related to Smart meter rollout!

 

But unless you go to court you will not know for sure. You may suffer for rest of your life from radiation or get rid of Smart meter if you take action.

The choice is your.

Write me if you have any questions.

Your right to choose kind of meter and how to defend it.

Avoiding Smart Meter’s in Victoria

(A Manual of facts to help you)

The aim of this web page is to provide you with some little known facts to assist you in your fight to protect your health, privacy and democratic right to say ‘NO’. It has been compiled from personal experience and many hours of research.

Choice

One of the main differences between totalitarian and democratic countries is the right to choose.

It is a shame Victorian electricity distributors and Energy and Water Ombudsman are not aware of it.

 

 

1. By law, Australians are allowed to have a choice of whether to keep their ‘old analogue’ electrical meter.

ELECTRICITY CUSTOMER METERING CODE:

6. INSTALLATION
6.1 Obligation to provide

(aa) This clause 6.1 is subject to the minimum standard of metering equipment being smart meter following the initial installation of smart meter at a customer’s premises.

So if you got Smart meter you can change it for... ANOTHER Smart meter.
But, clauses (b) and (d) make it very clear that you can request a different type of meter to that quoted in 6.1 and 6.2!

(b) Subject to clauses 6.1(c) and 6.2, if a customer requests a distributor or a retailer to install a type of metering equipment which is different from the type the distributor or the retailer (whichever is responsible for providing the metering services) otherwise would install in accordance with the NER or the Metrology Procedure, the customer must bear any costs incurred by the distributor or the retailer (as the case may be) installing that new metering equipment in excess of those which the distributor or the retailer would have incurred in installing the other type of new metering equipment.

(d) Where a customer requests a distributor or a retailer (whichever is responsible for providing the metering services) to install interval metering equipment in accordance with the NER or the Metrology Procedure, the distributor or the retailer (as the case may be) must use its reasonable endeavours to install that type of metering equipment within 20 business days of receiving a written request to do so from the customer.

It sounds for me you are allowed to have ANY time of electrical meter as long as it can do the job.

2. If you are told that Smart meters are mandated/standard/compulsory please read my post with heading "Terms mandated, compulsory, standard – do all they have the same meaning?".

 

3. My home - my castle strategy.

 

You locked your meter box, installed sign «No Smart meter», "no trespassing". You already sent away contractor from distributor and told him loud and clear "I do NOT want Smart meter". You phoned and sent letter to your distributor with same information.

 

What does it mean from point of view law?

 

Summary Offences Act 1966 Victoria No. 7405 of 1966 Version incorporating amendments as at 16 July 2012 Section 9:
(a) the person enters that place after having been previously warned not to enter (you already send away contractor previously) by the owner or  occupier or a person authorised to give such a warning on behalf of the owner or occupier; or
(c) the person enters that place in breach of a prominently displayed sign erected at that place by the owner or occupier or a person authorised to erect such a sign on behalf of the owner or occupier stating that—
(ii) persons engaging in that place in the type of activity in which the person concerned is proposing to engage in that place are prohibited from entering that place (No Smart Meter sign) —and the person has no other lawful excuse for entering that place.

 

 

Other hand there is also ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION CODE 2011 which tells about Distributor right to trespass:

3.3.2 Provided official identification is produced by the distributor’s representatives on request, a customer must provide to the distributor’s representatives at all times convenient and unhindered access:
(a) to the distributor’s equipment for any purposes associated with the supply, metering or billing of electricity; and
(b) to the customer’s electrical installation...

Does it mean contractor allowed install Smart meter against your wishes? Does "the best endeavours" enough strong term to allow commit crime of trespassing?

 

This issue is waiting for court challenge. I do not have any information about any cases about this topic or their results.

 

 

 CHARTER OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES ACT 2006 - SECT 32
Interpretation
(1)  So far as it is possible to do so consistently with their purpose, all statutory provisions must be interpreted in a way that is compatible with human rights.

Because installation Smart meters has a lot of to do with Equal Opportunity Act and Charter of Human Rights there is a chance that court may rule in favour of owner of the property and distributor/contractor will be punished for trespassing.

If you go to court Charter of Human Rights Victoria may be handy:1 Purpose and citation
(1) This Act may be referred to as the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities and is so referred to in this Act.
(2) The main purpose of this Charter is to protect and promote human rights by—
(a) setting out the human rights that Parliament specifically seeks to protect and promote; and
(b) ensuring that all statutory provisions, whenever enacted, are interpreted so far as is possible in a way that is compatible with human rights; (it never happened with any Advanced Metering Infrastructure document).

 

4. One day you found the lock cut off and Smart meter installed?

You should contact the police ASAP. The crime happened: your property was deliberatly destroied, someone trespassed your land.

And not to be shy, contact local mass-media, sent message to me, post on http://stopsmartmeters.com.au/forum/

You will find support and people who did it will have problems.

 

Not allow police or court drop this matter.

 

 

5. Punishment for trespassing: http://www.activistrights.org.au/handbook/ch02s08s02.php

 

It is a State offence to wilfully trespass in any place and neglect or refuse to leave that place after being warned to do so by the owner, occupier or a person authorised by the owner or occupier (section 9(1)(d)  Summary Offences Act  1966 (Vic) ). The maximum penalty is $2500 or six months' jail, although the penalty is usually a small fine. However, every case is different so you should seek legal advice about the penalty you may face.

If you enter onto another person's land without their permission, you will be trespassing. If you deliberately or carelessly do something that directly causes interference with someone else's land, a trespass is committed. Trespass is a civil wrong, and you can be sued for doing it. The most common example of trespassing is when you go onto someone's land without their permission. 

Capital Punishment from distributor: Disconnection

Avoiding Smart Meter’s in Victoria

(A Manual of facts to help you)

The aim of this web page is to provide you with some little known facts to assist you in your fight to protect your health, privacy and democratic right to say ‘NO’. It has been compiled from personal experience and many hours of research.

Disconnection

From information which I have received, it appears to me that distributors can disconnect "troublemakers" quick and easy.

Not many Victorians are aware of the rules which regulate disconnection, so I try to tell you some basics.

It may come as a surprise for electricity distributors and Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria (EWOV), but there is a law in this country which is called the ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION CODE 2011.

You may ask your distributor for a copy:

9.1.4 On request by a customer, a distributor must give to a customer a copy of this Code (which, if so requested, must be a large print copy).

Before disconnection, a distributor has to send you at least TWO letters:

12.2.1 A distributor may disconnect supply to a customer’s supply address if supply otherwise would potentially endanger or threaten to endanger the health or safety of any person or the environment or an element of the environment or if there is otherwise an emergency.

12.2.2 Except in the case of an emergency, or where there is a need to reduce the risk of fire or where relevant regulations require otherwise, a distributor must not disconnect a customer’s supply address under clause 12.2.1 unless the distributor has:

(a) given the customer written notice of the reason;

(b) allowed the customer 5 business days from the date of receipt of the notice to eliminate the cause of the potential danger; and

(c) at the expiration of those 5 business days given the customer by way of a written disconnection warning another 5 business days’ notice of its intention to disconnect the customer (the 5 business days is to be counted from the date of receipt of the notice)

If there is a dispute, or you have lodged a complaint with your distributor, the EWOV, they are not allowed to disconnect you at all, clause 12.6.2 (b) dot point 2 states, ‘a distributor must not disconnect supply to a customer’:

• if there is a dispute between the customer and the distributor which has been notified by the customer under clause 10 and is still being dealt with by the distributor under that clause, or is the subject of proceedings before the Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria) Ltd. or other relevant external disputes resolution body;

I have heard several instances where these rules have been ignored, office of EWOV was informed and did their usual job: pen-pushing. And of course they obeyed their policy, which appears to be: ‘don’t create problems for the distribution industry’.
So you have to be demanding and not shy if dealing with them.

No law exist which allows distributor to cut off your electricity because you do not consent to the installation of a Smart meter.

 

Unfortunately people are not prepared to take action. As result, the offenders get away with unacceptable and in some instances; unlawful behaviour. I believe that if enough Victorians stand up for their rights, it would make all the difference!

You not supposed to pay for court. EWOV is free, but you have to annoy them to get result. If they refuse to help you - there is VCAT, Human Right Division. It is free, Applicant pays nothing.

It should be born in mind that, under the Electricity Industry Act 2000 – Sect 40b, in a case of wrongful disconnection, a distributor may have to pay you $250 per day, if no other amount applies.

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/eia2000261/s40b.html

(b) if no amount is prescribed by the regulations, $250 for each whole day that the supply of electricity is disconnected and a pro rata amount for any part of a day that the supply of electricity is disconnected;

The last thing any distributor wants - to get court ruling about removal Smart meter and going back to manually read one. As far as I know Victoria still has none court ruling like this. Court ruling is public and cannot be hidden under "gag order" which is usually part of out-of-court settlement.

 

Highly possibly your case will be settled quietly out of court - they will give you manually read meter and (possibly) compensation for unlawful disconnection, you sign "gag" order in return for "favour".

 

They honestly believe they are doing favour to you - allowing to have manually read meter after charging you $1000 for Smart one, which you never needed at all!

 

Agreement may be worded in so twisted and confusing way that only later you will understand you cannot claim any compensation for illegal disconnection or damages to your health from Smart meter radiation.

And you cannot even speak up about it because you  sign "gag" order!

And all it perfectly LEGAL! Why? They are rich bully (or multinational corporation, it is the same), you are just honest citizen.

You should know who has law on their side.

You do not like these laws and want some changes? Visit this page: http://www.peoplepowervictoria.org.au/home

What can you do?

Avoiding Smart Meter’s in Victoria

(A Manual of facts to help you)

The aim of this web page is to provide you with some little known facts to assist you in your fight to protect your health, privacy and democratic right to say ‘NO’. It has been compiled from personal experience and many hours of research.

 

What can you do?

 

Just for start - let know your distributors, politicians, local and big mass-media about your opinion. Not be shy.

 

 

They pretend "care about you", "listen to you", "represent you". So force them to do exactly this. Ensure they will not be able to get away "I did not know about any issues with Smart meters".

 

Politicians created laws which force you to pay for useless and dangerous electronic toy, distributors got brand new infrastructure for your expense - so they have to have a bit time to answer your questions, yes?

 

And if you upset them and spoil their day - it is not your problem, do you agree?

 

They rip you off for $1000, and I think you have to say something about it. If they do not want to listen - make them listen!

 

 

Here the list of contacts to start:

 

Electricity distributors: http://jemena.com.au/outages/find-my-distributor.aspx

Your MP: http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/members/

 

Minister Energy and Resources: http://www.vic.gov.au/contactsandservices/directory/?ea0_lfz99_120.&roleWithSubordinates&8d3e407f-6c39-4da0-8893-530e4b03b5f3

 

Shadow one: http://www.vic.gov.au/contactsandservices/directory/?ea0_lfz99_120.&organizationalRole&f43da8e0-f5ab-427e-bf7c-6427945dc157

 

Energy and Water Ombudsman: http://www.ewov.com.au/

 

You know better them me about your local newspaper and radio stations. Ask them questions, tell your opinion about Smart meters, raise concerns. Ensure everyone knows about $1000 rip-off.

 

And do NOT allow them to answer you with garbage like "mandated/standard/benefits for you"! Do not allow them to fool you!

 

Join political party which cares about your health, about your right to have a choice, which wants to make politicians accountable and responsible: http://www.peoplepowervictoria.org.au/home

 

Write me if you have any questions or need support.

Advanced Metering Infrastructure and Profits.

Avoiding Smart Meter’s in Victoria

(A Manual of facts to help you)

The aim of this web page is to provide you with some little known facts to assist you in your fight to protect your health, privacy and democratic right to say ‘NO’. It has been compiled from personal experience and many hours of research.

Money and Advanced Metering Infrastructure program.

Who profits?

 

Nazis killed millions of people in gas chambers/death camps perfectly legal (because the laws of the Reich allowed it). After WWII, companies who supplied death camps with deadly Zyklon B gas got away it. Why should they be punished? They were only guilty of making a few bucks; it was never a crime for capitalists.

So electrical distributors in Victoria got brand-new Advanced Metering Infrastructure which dangerous for US, which is paid by US and it is LEGAL.
Even Nazi did not charge victims for cost of gas chambers and Zyklon B, it was government-funded.

The costs of the implementation of the AMI in Victoria have already blown out from $800 million to $2.8 billion

Also, we pay almost double the price and no one cares. I am sure it has nothing to do with corruption or kick-backs:

Landis + Gyr, the company that amassed about 56 per cent of the market in deals to supply the electricity distributors in Victoria with smart meters...

Landis + Gyr, to which Bayard then changed its name, ...managed to fetch high prices for its devices, perhaps the highest in the world...
According to eMeter Corporation, a meter data intelligence department of Siemens, the average cost of smart meters sold to utility companies in the US is $221, and in Europe $272. A spokesperson for the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) confirmed the Victorian distribution companies paid an average of $346 to their suppliers. Powercor paid the highest at $423.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/smart-meters-but-at-whose-expense-20121223-2btjd.html#ixzz37D6ZH11E

May the absence of attention from media may be explained by this?:

Success of Landis + Gyr has confirmed Cameron O'Reilly as one of the most savvy businessmen in Australia. The O'Reilly family had controlled regional media group APN.
Fairfax family would make about $203 million, through Marinya Holdings, and the Smorgon family's Escor Investments, $36 million.

Any benefits for consumers?

Of course we were told that Smart meters give consumers «a lot of benefits». So politicians and fat cats from corporations did not need to ask our opinion, we supposed to be extremely happy from their care anyway.

But South Australia confused about so-called benefits:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/south-australian-electricity-consumers-likely-to-be-offered-new-smart-power-meters-but-at-a-price/story-fni6uo1m-1226882988159?nk=beea83faaaab86f387abe6cc6f8dbde8

South Australian Council of Social Service director Ross Womersley said there was no guarantee the cost of installation to householders would be matched by savings.

“SACOSS accepts that advanced metering offers a range of benefits, but is disappointed that the discussion paper does not provide any quantitative information in this regard,’’ he said.

“SACOSS is concerned that the costs of implementation have the potential to overwhelm the value of these benefits for the consumers of most interest to SACOSS.

“Asserting that a policy is ‘cost effective’ without demonstrating it to be so is not an approach that SACOSS prefers.’’

Also South Australian newspaper was able to disclosure THE BIGGEST SECRET of Victorian power industry – HOW MUCH SMART METERS COST TO US???

Mr Henley said a compulsory rollout in Victoria cost $1000 for each meter, but falling costs meant experts now estimated the price to be between $300 and $400.

I do not know if I got any single cent of «benefits» but definitely my power bills now include $1.32 per day ($480 per year!) «infrastructure cost»

 

More news: http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2012/s3645751.htm

 consumer groups say their benefits of the digital devices are murky.
Smart meters have been introduced in Victoria over the past several years, but it's been far from successful.
The mandatory roll-out has cost nearly three times more than anticipated, and electricity consumers are still questioning the benefits.

 

Something that does not surprise me:

These things are great for the distributors, they're great for the retailers, they're great for the generators, but I don't think they're so great for the consumer.

 

 

Politics in relation with Smart meters.

Avoiding Smart Meter’s in Victoria

(A Manual of facts to help you)

The aim of this web page is to provide you with some little known facts to assist you in your fight to protect your health, privacy and democratic right to say ‘NO’. It has been compiled from personal experience and many hours of research.

Political developments in relation with Smart meters.

1. In July 2014 Energy Minister Russell Northe finally understood that he cannot keep pretending that everything is fine with smart meters and promised one more test. The problem is, he has predicted its result by stating that: " smart meters will be shown to operate well within the ARPANSA standard" . So he still has no idea (or pretends not to) about EHS and like all politicians', remains in denial of the harmful effects of his decision. If he were really interested, he could read more about EHS here:

http://www.who.int/peh-emf/meetings/hypersensitivity_prague2004/en/index.html

I will keep you informed about developments.

Limits for Ultra High Frequency Electromagnetic Fields Exposure

 

Avoiding Smart Meter’s in Victoria

(A Manual of facts to help you)

The aim of this web page is to provide you with some little known facts to assist you in your fight to protect your health, privacy and democratic right to say ‘NO’. It has been compiled from personal experience and many hours of research.

Limits for Ultra High Frequency Electromagnetic Fields Exposure

Smart meter radiation must be within limits specified by AS 2772 RADIATION PROTECTION STANDARD Maximum Exposure Levels to Radiofrequency Fields — 3 kHz to 300 GHz. This Standard was created by AUSTRALIAN RADIATION PROTECTION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY AGENCY (ARPANSA).

As I understand soon it will be updated: http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2014L00960

But I don’t see that there will be much change here which will benefit the people of Victoria. Also, the ‘compatibility statement’ for this piece of legislation ignores the fact that Victorians are unknowingly being subjected to an experiment. (There has been no meaningful research into nonionizing radiation).

If we look at the history of the ARPANSA standard written in 2002, there was a prior standard of 1985. In the late 1990s it was time to update it, but it was not that simple:

http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/Completed_inquiries/1999-02/emr/report/c04

 The technical committee did not reach agreement on the last revision of the Standard in 1999, which sought to introduce the more lenient ICNIRP Guidelines.

Also, in the conclusions in this document, para 4.240, the committee chair did not support the decision to transfer the responsibility for setting a new standard to ARPANSA. Despite this, the job of creating new standards; was passed on to ARPANSA. What did ARPANSA use as a base for the 2002 standard? See page ii http://www.arpansa.gov.au/publications/codes/rps3.cfm

Standard are based on the published 1998 Guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).

So I get the impression that the 1985 standards had stricter limits than the current standards. If so, this does not sound very promising!

International approach to UHF radiation.

In many countries, standards are based on ICNIRP guidelines, but not everywhere.

This site lists many countries/regions where standards are stricter. And it is a shame our Victorian government did not try to find out why:

http://ec.europa.eu/health/electromagnetic_fields/docs/emf_comparision_policies_en.pdf

Italy: The basic limits for magnetic flux density are identical with the reference levels in the Recommendation. A 10 times lower 'attention value' applies to existing situations with exposure for more than 4 hours in homes, playgrounds and schools. A 'quality goal' of 3% of the reference level applies to new construction of homes, playgrounds or schools near power lines, substations or transformers (or vice versa). An even stricter limit for magnetic flux density (0.2% of the reference level) was adopted in three regions before the federal law came into force. This too applies to power lines near homes, schools and other places where people may stay for more than 4 hours per day.
In Switzerland, an Ordinance on Non-ionising Radiation has been in force since 1999. Exposure limits identical to the reference levels in the European Recommendation apply to all areas accessible to the public. A stricter, precautionary limit on magnetic flux density of 1% of the reference level applies to new installations...

Technical terms for measuring UHF radiation.

 

The rate at which radiofrequency radiation is absorbed in the body is measured in watts per kilogram (W/kg).

The Australian limits are determined by AS 2772 which has Whole-body average (W/kg) 0.08 with allowed maximums of up 2-4 W/kg (see page 7, table 2).

The European Unions’ main standard is the same as Australia, from 0.08 up to 4 W/kg, see Table 1 page 64:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/electrical/documents/lvd/electromagnetic-fields/index_en.htm

Our smart meters emit up to 2.5% of Recommendations:

http://www.smartmeters.vic.gov.au/about-smart-meters/reports-and-consultations/ami-meter-em-field-survey-repor

so their usage in Switzerland or some parts of Italy would be questionable.

Notice that in tests of a bunch of Smart meters which are installed together the radiation reached 31% (Table 10).

In multistorey buildings, the situation may become really bad. We can only guess the amount of radiation people living close to bunch of then on their floor and also exposed to Smart meters above and below.

There are reports that radiation in areas of multistorey flats which are next to Smart meter locations is well beyond ARPANSA limits, but these reports are ‘not official’.

Department of Housing, owner of some buildings with possible over-the-limit levels of radiation is not in any rush to check this out. They settle aged and fragile people next to the source of powerful radiation and ‘forget’ about any Duty of Care.

In Russia, general rules for the protection are set in a 1999 framework law. Exposure limits for specific frequency ranges are set in so-called 'Hygienic epidemiological requirements'. The public exposure limit for electric and magnetic fields of 50 hertz is 10% of the reference level in the European Recommendation. The motivation for this is to prevent biological effects that are not seen as health risks in Western countries.

Russia found some "biological effects" in UHF radiation! And cut the limits by 10 times. The USSR had stricter rules than USA, and more, in USSR there was a belief that UHF radiation has "bio effects", this is something that ARPANSA does not want to hear! For example, the Soviet limits for occupational exposure were just 0.4 W/kg per hour, while ARPANSA "generously" give us up to 4 W/kg in our homes, 24/7! This sounds alarming to me. May be it would be worthwhile our Government asking Russia for more information on this subject?

jmpee.org/JMPEE_PDFs/21-1_bl/Vol21-1-Pg9-Czersk.pdf